Only Human
by Just Another Flygirl
Summary: Things aren't as they seem on Tracy Island... (a.k.a. my first attempt at a Halloween fic!)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Thunderbirds Are Go - they belong to the late Gerry and Silvia Anderson.

**Author's Note:** And here's yet another fic that's been in the pipeline for the last few years that I never got round to actually writing and again, I know there's at least one person that's been waiting for this so I'm super sorry for the wait! The theme of this fic (Only Human) is based upon the 100 Themes Challenge on DeviantArt - I started that years ago and never completed it so now's my chance! It's also a chance for me to have a shot at a Halloween fic – because I've never had the chance to do one of these before either! :D

I've not forgotten about my other TAG fics that are in progress either – things have just been a little… hectic recently. I had a surgical procedure earlier this month, which has me out of action for four weeks whilst I recover, so please bear with me.

* * *

It was only on extremely rare occasions that Gordon Tracy found himself completely unable to think of a witty remark.

The aquanaut had deemed his sense of humour a coping mechanism of sorts since his early WASP days.

Sometimes, he would crack a joke to relieve tension - much to the chagrin of those around him. In other occasions, he would let loose the most cringe-worthy puns purely to get a rise out of his siblings.

However, as he stood frozen in a mixture of horror and fear at the sight before him, he found himself at an utter loss for words.

"Gordon!"

He seemed to snap out of his stupor at the sound of his own name.

"Get out of here!"

The sandy-haired aquanaut took a shaky step back, cringing at the harsh gruffness in his brother's voice that was accompanied by the sound of tearing material and the wet, sharp crunching of bones.

He was _definitely_ going to have nightmares for weeks after this.

Providing there would be an 'after this'...

Another tearing sound; this time from thick, sharp claws raking across the interior of Thunderbird Two's wall.

Gordon winced at the sight of the deep furrows left in the bulkhead. Virgil was going to be so mad...

Except for the fact that Virgil was already here with him in the suddenly-claustrophobic cockpit.

And already _very_ mad.

There was an unnaturally dark glint to Virgil's chocolate-brown eyes as he regarded his sibling; that familiar warm calmness replaced with an uncharacteristically raw fury.

Gordon's fingers were unable to hit the controls any quicker to lower the cockpit platform to get away from his bear of a brother.

His now _literal_ bear of a brother.

The remains of the Thunderbird Two pilot's torn utility sash hit the floor with a resounding clang as Virgil - or what he had become - let out a low, rumble of a growl. Lips pulled back to reveal a set of frighteningly sharp teeth and Gordon yelped out as he back-pedaled in sheer panic, tripping over his own feet and landing hard on his rear end. Scrambling on his hands and knees, the aquanaut practically rolled off the cockpit platform as it continued its more controlled descent, hitting the asphalt of Thunderbird Two's runway hard.

_'Not good... Not good!'_

A terrifying bellow reverberated from the open cockpit of International Rescue's freighter and Gordon was quick to scramble to his feet, making a beeline for the safety of the green behemoth's hangar.

"Please... Please let this be some kind of food-induced nightmare...!" Gordon huffed under his breath as he ran. "I promise I'll never eat a whole box of Celery Crunch bars in one go again!"

_"Gordon, any update on Thunderbird Two's status?"_ John's voice over the communications channel offered very little comfort for the spooked aquanaut.

"It's bad, John!" Gordon panted out as he slammed the palm of his hand against the concealed panel along the cliff-face of Thunderbird Two's hangar door. "We're gonna have to lock down the island!"

_"Lock down the island?"_ John echoed. _"Gordon, what's going on down there? I've lost Virgil's bio-readings!"_

Slipping in via the hidden door to Thunderbird Two's hangar, Gordon quickly palmed the panel for the door to slide shut again, letting out a shaky sound of relief as he heard the electronic locks click home. "You're not gonna believe me when I say this, but-"

_"Hang on, Gordon. I need to take this call from Alan."_

The sandy-haired aquanaut took the interjection as a chance to both get his breath back and to attempt to cease the uncontrolled trembling that wracked his frame. Leaning heavily with his back pressed against the cool metal of the door, he let out a shuddering breath, wiping the cold sweat from his brow with the back of his forearm.

John must have kept the communication channel open as Gordon could still hear his space-bound brother through his comms as he spoke with their youngest sibling. _"What do you mean you can't find him, Alan?"_

Alan, having just finished up his post-flight checks on Thunderbird Three, had gone to check on Thunderbird One - or rather, the supersonic craft's pilot - after comms had gone dead on the way back from-

_"Oh no! Gordon!"_

Gordon's head snapped up and to attention at the uncharacteristically high level of alarm in the space monitor's voice. "What is it, John?"

_"Gordon, get out of there! Now!"_

And just like that, the cold sweat and icy, electrical tingle running along his spine had returned.

Honey brown eyes darted around for a moment, weighing up which of the two hangar stairwells would be closer for him to run for. He needed to get back to the main villa to warn the others about Virgil - and what he had become - before it was too late.

Pushing himself away from the door, Gordon took off in a sprint towards the stairs located at the rear end of the spacious hangar.

And that's when he heard it.

Slowing his dash to a jog, Gordon glanced around for the the origins of the sound, straining to locate its source over the echo within the three hangar as well as the thudding of his own heartbeat.

Swallowing thickly, he dared to call out.

"Is someone there?" his pace reduced even further, the aquanaut turning on the spot as he felt the hairs on the nape of his neck start to rise. It was just his luck that he was currently situated in between Modules Three and Four, the large, green components obscuring his view. "Alan? Is that you?"

Silence.

"Alan, if you're there and trying to scare me, this isn't funny!" there was something somewhat ironic on calling out others on practical jokes, but this was most certainly _not_ the time or the place. "We've got a situation and we've gotta... Oh..."

He caught sight of movement in his peripheral vision. Turning around, his voice wavered and trailed off as he caught sight of something shift within the shadows cast around the back of Module Four.

Something that stalked forward almost silently, save for the low growl that rumbled from deep within it.

Something that had _very_ sharp teeth.

And something with _very familiar_, piercing blue eyes.

And for the second time that day, Gordon Tracy stood on the spot, frozen in fear.

"Oh crap... "


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Thunderbirds Are Go - they belong to the late Gerry and Silvia Anderson.

**Author's Note:** Happy Halloween, everyone!

I'm so glad I managed to finish this chapter today – I was actually hoping to have it done yesterday but I've not been sleeping well because of my dissolvable stitches starting to come out through my incisions and it's been making me very sleep-deprived and somewhat cranky.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and that you have a great Halloween :3

* * *

There was an eerie silence that filled the vast hangar of Thunderbird Two.

Honey browns connected with piercing blues and Gordon Tracy swallowed thickly, his muddled and moderately terrified mind trying to will his frozen legs to move.

But his limbs were just downright refusing to respond.

The beast before him let out another low snarl, ears flattening back as sharp teeth bared menacingly.

This time, Gordon managed to take a somewhat shaky step backwards.

_"Gordon, what's your status?"_ John's voice over comms had regained most of his business-like tone, however Gordon could still hear the tension on his brother's voice. _"Scanners say you're still in Thunderbird Two's hangar. You need to get out of there!"_

"I... uhm... I've run into a... complication," the aquanaut tried to keep his voice low, raising his hands up nervously in a feeble attempt to try and placate the creature before him. "John, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but please tell me I'm not looking at Alan right now..."

"You're not."

Gordon inhaled sharply, his head snapping up just in time to see Kayo appear seemingly out of nowhere; International Rescue's Head of Security landing with an almost cat-like grace in front of him. It took his shocked mind a further few seconds to realise that she was wearing her duty uniform.

And in that moment of distraction...

"W-What?!" Gordon stammered, his eyes wide as he peered around Kayo. "Where the heck did it go?!"

"'It' happens to be your brother, Gordon," Kayo's unusually golden-green eyes scanned their surroundings, her lithe frame tense. "And maybe he didn't fancy his chances being outnumbered."

"Or maybe every single member of International Rescue knows just how much you can kick our asses," the aquanaut snorted, glancing around warily. "Hey, wait a minute, I thought you said that wasn't Ala-"

"Alan's currently getting stitches in the infirmary," Kayo's voice was almost nonchalant as her gloved fingers took a firm hold of Gordon's wrist, pulling him along with her as she crept further along the side of Module Three and closer to the rear end of the spacious hangar. "That was Scott."

"_What?!_"

"Keep your voice down!" Kayo hissed, trying to keep her own voice hushed. "We need to make a run for the maintenance lift back to the villa. And I mean _run_. Are you ready?"

Swallowing hard, Gordon gave a nod of his head. Truth be told, he was more of a swimmer than a runner - which was why when the opportunity had presented itself, he had enlisted in WASP. Water was his element as much as being airborne was for his eldest brother.

No time to think about that now.

"Go!"

Kayo was as fast as she was stealthy and was already ahead of Gordon in a matter of seconds; her neat and dark ponytail bobbing behind her as she broke into a full sprint.

Gritting his teeth, the sandy-haired aquanaut tried his best to keep up with her. Having just recently sprinted most of the length of Thunderbird Two's runway, a part of him felt he was getting quite the bum deal with now having to now dash across the length of the green behemoth's hangar.

Virgil and Scott would have some serious explaining to do once this was all over.

Providing they would all get out of this in one piece.

A blur of movement caught his peripheral vision as he ran and as soon as he glanced over his left shoulder, he instantly regretted his decision.

Wild, chilling blues locked onto him - sending out a sensation that almost _pierced_ his very soul.

Scott - or rather what Kayo had just recently informed him was his older brother - darted out from the shadows and towards them, picking up speed at an inhuman rate.

_'Oh crap!'_

"Kayo!" Gordon yelled in warning, fear somehow spurring him on to run faster.

Several paces ahead of him, the dark-haired woman glanced over her shoulder, her breath catching in her throat for a beat before she responded. "Keep running!"

He did _not_ need telling twice.

Gordon's instincts kicked in before his panicked mind could react; grabbing a small jerry can from one of the maintenance trolleys as he passed them. Shaky hands fumbled momentarily before he finally managed to unscrew the lid and haphazardly emptied its contents onto the floor behind him.

And despite the tension and alarm he was currently experiencing, a small part of the family prankster's inner monologue let out a whoop of victory when he heard a cat-like yowl of surprise, followed by a _very_ loud crash.

_'Score!'_

No time for any real celebrations though as up ahead, Kayo was already gesturing urgently for him to follow her into the maintenance lift with one hand whilst her other held the door open.

Nearly colliding with the back of the elevator as he skidded into it, Gordon turned around just in time to see a very angry cheetah - seemingly larger than average in size - with feral blue eyes launch itself in their direction. To his left, he could hear Kayo's soft cursing as she continuously slapped her hand over the door close button.

The aquanaut let out a squawk of surprise as the savage feline charged their way with a snarl before the doors finally closed. There was a solid _thunk_ against the lift doors - and Gordon was very sure he heard an enraged hiss - before the lift was in motion; taking the two of them up towards the main villa.

His legs finally giving out under him, Gordon slid down, his back against the elevator wall as he sat slumped there with his heart still threatening to explode from his rib cage.

Kayo hovered above him, a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?"

A shaky nod from Gordon before he let out a semi-hysterical laugh.

"For the record, when this is all over, I'm not cleaning up that mess!"


End file.
